Thill-support



(No Model.)

L. T. BOW.

I THILL SUPPORT. No. 467,395. Patented Jan. 19, 1892.

WITNESSES z/vmwrozz ma m LAFAYETTE T. BOIV, OF GLASGOIV, KENTUCKY.

THlLL-SUPPORT.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,395, dated January19, 1892.

Application filed April 17, 1891. Serial No. 389,323- i'No model.)

" clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side Viewof my improved thill -supporter applied to an axle and thill, showingthe normal position of the parts in full lines and the position when thethills are forcibly depressed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thesupporter detached. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modification of thesame detached.

This invention is an improvement upon the thill-supporters for whichLetters Patent of the United States No. 441,350 were granted tome on the25th day of November,1890; and the objects of this invention are toprovide the thill-supporting arm with an adjustable spring-exten sionwhich can be adjusted to suit different thills, and, further, to makethis adjustable spring-extension in such manner that if the thills beforcibly depressed, as by the falling of the horse, the spring willyield sufficiently to prevent breaking of either the spring, rod, orthills and the invention consists in the novel construction andcombination of parts, as will be hereinafter clearly described andclaimed.

Referring to the drawings by letter, B designates a plate clipped orotherwise secured to the axle A and projecting slightly in front of thesame in such position that itsfront end underlies the thill or shaft T,which is coupled to the axle in any suitable manner; or, if desired, thethill may be coupled to the forwardly-extending portion of the plate. Onthe front end of the plate is an upstanding arm 0, on which is a slidingcollar D, adjustably secured in any position on the arm by a set-screwd. This arm inclines or curves slightly upward and forward;

E designates a rod having its lower end pivoted or hinged to the plateor lower end of arm 0 and standing between arm 0 and the thill, asshown, its position in relation to the arm being regulated by the collarI), against which it rests.

F designates a bifurcated spring, which, as shown, is formed of stoutwire and has two limbs f, thelower ends of which are connected to rod E,and their upper ends are connected to or twisted into a U-shapedtransverse thillrest F, as shown, in which the thill rests. Preferablythe lower end of limbs f are bent into short tension-coilsf'f', and thenconnected to a collar G, adj ustably mounted on rod E and provided witha locking thumb-screw g, as shown, to fasten it into desired position.The rod E and spring form virtuallya single but extensible orcontractible support for upholding the thills. do not overlie the rod,but extend beside it, so that the spring may be depressed withoutcatching on the end of the rod or on the end of the arm 0, both of whichcould pass or play between the limbs of the spring, so that if theshafts or thills' be forcibly depressed, as by the horse harnessedthereto falling down, the spring F would yield and bend down withoutbending down or contacting with either the rod or arm, and hence thedanger of breaking any of the parts is greatly lessened.

In Fig. 3 I show the flat spring, as illustrated in my patent, butinstead of having it rigidly connected to rod E, I may attach it to anadj ustable collar on the rod-like spring F or may form ears on its endsand adj ustably connect it to the rod by means of a screw or pin e, asshown. By thus adjustably connecting the spring to the rod I canregulate the height of the thill-rest and its projection beyond the arm0 independently of and in addition to the regulation and adjustmentafforded by collar D, as described in my said patent. Instead of thewire spring a bifurcated platespring could be used, if desired.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent thereon, is

1. In a thill-support, the combination of the plate, the upstanding armattached thereto, the pivoted rod overlying said arm, and the springadjustably connected to said arm; and forming an extension thereof,substantially as described.

The limbsfof the spring 2. In a thill-support, the combination of theplate, the upstanding rod attached to the front end thereof andunderlying; the thill, and the bifurcated spring attached to said rodand underlying and upholding the thill, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the axle and thill, the upstanding arm attached tothe axle, and the adjustable collar thereon with a rod interposedbetween the thill and arm and rendered adjustable by the said collar,and the spring extension of said rod adjustably connected to said rod,substantially as described.

4:. The combination of the axle, th ill, or shaft and the upstanding armattached to the axle, having an adjustable collar, with the pivoted rodlying between said arm and thill, and the bifurcated spring extensionattached to said rod, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the axle and thill and the plate attached to theaxle, having an upstanding arm on its front end and an adjustable collaron said arm,with the pivoted rod lying between the arm and thill, andthe bifurcated spring forming an extension of said rod and adj ustablyconnected thereto, constructed substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presenceof two Witnesses. I

LAFAYETTE T. BOW.

Witnesses:

W. O. ALLEN, S. H. WALLER.

